Lyons and O'Brien go head to head for Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh

ONE of the most high-profile Flat races in the Irish racing calendar arrives on Saturday at the Curragh with the Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes as part of a belting eight-race card at the track.

Racing gets underway at the Curragh at 1.45pm with a 15-runner maiden contest for the two-year-old’s before rounding off at 5.40 with the 11-runner mile handicap - and the big race of the weekend arriving at 4.35pm.

Read below to find out the latest tips for Curragh’s Saturday card courtesy of BoyleSports, who offer the latest horse racing odds throughout the season.

A whopping €210,000 is on offer for the winner of the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes and it looks to be a straight shootout between the top class Whistlejacket for trainer Aidan O’Brien and Ger Lyons’s unbeaten filly Babouche for a trainer who won this race in 2019 with Siskin.

Whistlejacket showed all the hallmarks of a top sprinter when landing the July Stakes at Newmarket last month and can emulate his brother Little Big Bear, a superb winner of this race 2022. The unbeaten Babouche was last seen winning the Anglesey Stakes in gutsy fashion when pitched into Group 3 company and is stepping up again with plenty to like about her chances as she aims to become the first filly to win this race since 2011.

Four other runners will try to spoil the party in the six furlong contest including another O’Brien runner in Heaven’s Gate, a course and distance winner in May who landed a valuable Naas auction race just five days ago following up a pair of thirds in the Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket and the Albany at Royal Ascot.

Before that though, the meeting kicks off at 1.45 with a seven furlong maiden and powerhouse trainer O’Brien has a very strong hand here with Delacroix, who shaped well when second at Leopardstown on debut 16 days ago and should come on well for that run. Stablemate Acapulco Bay is one to keep an eye on, a sister to Ribblesdale Stakes winner Magic Wand and who holds a Group 2 entry further down the line.

Race two of the afternoon (2.15) sees a large field of 19 head to the stalls for another two-year-old maiden contest, this time over the six furlong trip. Lost President, picked up for just €8,500, could take a big leap forward after a seventh at Navan on debut when he wasn’t bullied around and rallied well to finish in midfield. The O’Brien-trained Ides Of March should be bang up there as well with top jockey Ryan Moore on board after a promising third of 12 in a Curragh maiden last time out.

A seven furlong juvenile contest marks race three on the card (2.50), with another O’Brien runner in Ballet Slippers taking preference here after a third on a course and distance debut three weeks ago and another with Group race entries on the horizon. The Coolmore maestro also has an interesting newcomer here in Tea Rose who will be worth keeping an eye on.

British raider Kind Of Blue for trainer James Fanshawe looks the one to beat in race four (3.25), a good third in the Hackwood Stakes at Newbury last time out while race five (4.00) can go the way of Greek Flower, a previous course winner and second at the Curragh last time out so can bounce back to winning ways here.

The aforementioned Keeneland Phoenix stakes is race six on the card (4.35) and after the big race of the day, 19 runners will tackle the six furlong handicap for three-year-old’s and upwards (5.10) with preference heading the way of Keke for trainer Edward Lynam, with two wins from four starts this year including a career-best at Down Royal on June 21.

Finally, the card comes to a close with the one mile handicap at 5.40 and 11 runners are set to take it on. The Ger Lyons-trained Quadruple has been getting better and better with each run, winning at Limerick on June 22 and following up with a very good second at Leopardstown last time out. Of his rivals, Global Energy looks to be the chief threat having won twice over this course and distance this year.

Curragh selections - Saturday 

1.45 - Delacroix 

2.15 - Lost President 

2.50 - Ballet Slippers 

3.25 - Kind Of Blue 

4.00 - Greek Flower 

4.35 - Whistlejacket 

5.10 - Keke 

5.40 - Global Energy